Madang schools Slip into 1-6-6 world

BY DOROTHY MARKTHE launching of the school learning improvement plan (Slip) in schools in Madang is the way forward to implementation of the new 1-6-6 education structure, says Madang provincial education director Moses Sariki. He said this during launching of Slip for 50 schools in Usino-Bundi, Middle Ramu and Rai Coast at Walium government station last Thursday. Sariki said the education department would be introducing its new 1-6-6 teaching structure starting next year. Under this system, students will do one year at elementary school, six years in primary school and six years in high schools. Sariki said schools in the three districts which had completed their Slips were fortunate because that would have paved the way for them to easily introduce the new system. “This means students will no longer do grades 8 and 10 exams, but will do only one national exam which is the Grade 12 exams,” he said. World Vision, with funding from the Australian government, has helped schools put together their Slips and helped them prepare for the launching. Education programme manager of World Vision Manu Peter said awareness on how Slip would improve student learning, and importance of community participation, was delivered to 111 schools in Central, Madang and Morobe. Peter said a workshop held involving board members of more than 50 schools was held this year. Participants were told to return to their respective schools and develop their Slips. “So far 45 school boards of management, together with parents and caregivers, have finalised their Slips and 45 are now ready to be launched,” Peter said. Provincial tuition fee free (TFF) coordinator Iogurua Dorea said schools with Slips would not face difficulties to use their TFFs because they already had a plan on how to use their money. Sariki encouraged other schools which had no SLIP or were still working on their plans to fast track the process so that they could improve learning for their students.

One thought on “Madang schools Slip into 1-6-6 world”

Slip and the 1-6-6 education structure is good, but I don’t think its the right time for the province to roll it out. Why? Because Madang have only a few secondary schools and the capacity to host is insufficient. Build more classrooms in the existing secondary schools and get extra teachers for these roles. Then implement 1-6-6 in Madang. For example, look at Tusbab Secondary School, its so crowded in each classroom with less teachers.